NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Watson Coleman & County Executive Benson Celebrate $47 Million Federal Grant for Mercer to Replace Lincoln Avenue Bridge in Trenton

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

    October 31, 2024

    Trenton, NJ (Thursday, October 31, 2024)  — Today, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Mercer County Executive Dan Benson announced a $47 million federal grant award to replace the Lincoln Avenue Bridge in Trenton.

    The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program (BIP), a Biden-Harris Administration initiative to replace, rehabilitate, improve, and preserve bridges across the country. The program is a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Rep. Watson Coleman voted for, and President Biden signed. At the beginning of this year, Rep. Watson Coleman sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, encouraging the Department to approve Mercer County’s application for this grant. Senator Cory Booker also strongly advocated for Mercer County’s grant application, providing letters of support for three consecutive years, including in January of this year.

    As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Rep. Watson Coleman works tirelessly to ensure the Department of Transportation has the resources necessary for grant programs like the BIP.

    “I am so excited to announce this significant investment from the Biden-Harris Administration to replace the Lincoln Avenue Bridge,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “This funding will replace the existing structure with a safer, more reliable, and more durable passage across Assunpink Creek. Thousands of Trentonians rely on the Lincoln Ave bridge, which provides a key footpath to Trenton Central High School. I’m incredibly grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration, Secretary Buttigieg, Mercer County, and the City of Trenton for their partnership.”

    “The Lincoln Avenue Bridge has served Trenton’s residents for generations but has now reached the end of its lifespan,” said Senator Booker. “I am proud to have helped secure this unprecedented $47 million investment to replace this century-old bridge, and ensure everyone in Mercer County has access to safe and reliable infrastructure for years to come.”

    “I’m pleased to see such dedicated investment in our nation’s infrastructure thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Senator George Helmy. “It’s imperative that the safety of New Jersey commuters is a top priority and this funding from the Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program ensures that drivers and passengers alike can feel secure traveling across the Lincoln Avenue Bridge. I would like to thank President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for their tireless work in updating our nation’s infrastructure, as well as Congresswoman Watson Coleman, Trenton Mayor Gusciora, and Mercer Country Executive Dan Benson for fighting on behalf of their constituents and their needs.”

    Spanning 687 feet, the Lincoln Avenue Bridge is the longest county-owned bridge in Mercer, and at ninety-three years it is also one of the oldest. The bridge crosses both the Assunpink Creek and Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor Rail Line, connecting neighborhoods and serving as a primary conduit for students on their way to and from Trenton Central High School.

    Mercer County began Concept Development on the Bridge Replacement Project in 2015, as it became clear that the current structure was reaching the end of its lifespan. The Federal BIP grant will cover most of the project’s estimated $63 million cost, with the remainder coming from Mercer County and from funds provided by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).

    “I want to thank Senator Booker and Congresswoman Watson Coleman for partnering with us to procure the largest infrastructure grant in Mercer County history,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “For nearly a century, the Lincoln Avenue Bridge has tied together neighborhoods in our Capital City, and by replacing the aging structure we ensure that this corridor remains safe and accessible to Trenton residents for generations to come. We’re excited to kick off another major public works project for Mercer County, and we look forward to using local union labor to build under a Project Labor Agreement.”

    Planning on the project is expected to finish next year, and has included input from various stakeholders, including the City of Trenton, Amtrak, NJ Transit, The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. The bridge will be replaced in phases so that one lane will remain open at all times.

    “The DOT’s Bridge Investment Program funding is essential for advancing the Lincoln Avenue Bridge project,” said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. This funding will not only enhance accessibility and safety for our community, but will also ensure that our infrastructure is equipped to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. We are grateful for this investment in our Capital City.”

    “In 2024, Mercer County has made significant strides to ensure our financial house is in order,” said Mercer County Commissioner Chair John Cimino. As an engineering professional, I recognize that a $47 million grant for a single bridge is an uncommon achievement. I look forward to many more successes like this in the future.”

    “New Jersey appreciates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in transportation infrastructure to improve our local communities,” said NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor. “This $47 million federal grant to replace the Lincoln Avenue Bridge over Amtrak and the Assunpink Creek in Trenton provides critical funding to get this project to construction to ensure we have a safe transportation system for all users – whether they are driving, biking, walking, or riding a train.”

    “The residents of Trenton and greater Mercer County lead busy lives, which has put strain on our aging infrastructure. This substantial federal grant to replace the Lincoln Avenue Bridge will help ensure that every trip made is safe and efficient for years to come,” said Senator Shirley K. Turner. “I thank Rep. Watson Coleman and County Executive Benson for their dedication to this project and their commitment to improving our community’s transportation system.”

    “This is a sterling example of when government and community partners come together to do big things for the benefit of the community they serve,” said Assemblyman Anthony S. Verrelli. “Repairing, replacing, and maintaining infrastructure like the Lincoln Ave. Bridge is critical to bring social and economic equity to the local neighborhood, the City of Trenton, and Mercer County as a whole. Thank you, County Executive Benson and our federal partners, for their leadership and financial support of the critical endeavor.”

    “Today’s announcement is a victory for Trenton residents and for all who travel through our community. I am so grateful to see local, county, state, and federal partners coming together in support of this grant, this is what good government looks like” said Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson. “This project is an investment in our future; it ensures that our infrastructure evolves to meet the needs of our growing community and literally and figuratively keeps our residents more connected.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fighting for South Central Pennsylvania’s Freedoms in Congress

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10)

    During the Speaker selection in January 2023, I fought for important process reforms that decentralized power in the House of Representatives, opened up the legislative process, and ensured that rank and file members are able to effectively represent their constituents. These process reforms included:

    The Single Subject Rule, which requires bills to be narrowed to a single subject to ensure that leadership cannot combine a bunch of unrelated provisions into a large package. Allows each topic to be voted upon on its own merits.

    The 72 Hour Rule, which requires a bill to be released 72 hours prior to voting on the floor. This allows Members and their constituents to read and evaluate the policies in each bill prior to voting on them.

    Allowing  appropriations cuts through amendments, making in order all appropriations amendments that reduce spending.

    The Holman Rule, which allows Congress to cut spending for the salary of a federal government employee or eliminate funding for a specific office within an agency. This allows Congress to hold federal employees and agencies accountable for their actions by imposing serious penalties for inappropriate actions.

    Motion to Vacate, which restores the long running procedure that allows any Member of Congress to offer a privileged resolution to remove the Speaker of the House by a majority vote. This important provision holds the Speaker of the House accountable to the Members of their party and allows rank and file members to address grievances with leadership.

    Placing Conservatives on the Rules Committee, which secured three positions on the Rules Committee for conservative Members of Congress. This ensures that conservatives have a seat at the table and can reject bad legislation before it gets to the floor.

    A new Weaponization Subcommittee on the Judiciary Committee to investigate the weaponization of the federal government against American Citizens.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su En Route Philadelphia,  PA

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Aboard Air Force OneEn Route Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    2:43 P.M. EDT
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right, everybody.  Hey, everyone.
    Q    Hi.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Hi, hi, hi.  Okay.  I know this is a short flight, but I do have a couple things at the top that’s important.
    So, to start, I wanted to mention that open enrollment in the Federal Care Act marketplace, where more than 20 million Americans get health insurance, starts today.  More than a decade after passage of the law, Americans’ health care remains under threat.  Just this week, Speaker Johnson promised massive reform to the ACA.  The Republican Study Committee budget cuts a staggering $4.5 trillion from the ACA, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, consistent with every budget proposed by the former president.
    Senator J.D. Vance has taken aim at the very idea of the risk pooling between healthy and sick which lies at the heart of the ACA.  And Republicans in Congress have made clear that one of their first orders of business would be raising premiums in ACA health insurance by an average of 800 bucks per person per year.
    President Biden and Vice President Harris have done the po- — the opposite, bringing health insurance to more than ev- — more than ever — mor- — more people than ever before, lowering ACA premiums by 800 bucks per year, getting rid of red tape that the prior administration used to try to keep people from enrolling and expanding enrollment support.
    The president and vice president will keep standing up for the affordable health insurance, and they will block any attempt to rip it away. 
    Shifting gears just a second, I wanted to quickly discuss a recent ProPublica series highlighting reports of women in states like Texas and Georgia who have died after being denied the lifesaving care they need because of extreme abortion bans.  The stories are heartbreaking, scary, and sickening a- — sickening.  It’s hard to believe or accept as reality, and it’s completely unacceptable. 
    This should never happen in America, but, sadly, it is, and tho- — and these abortion bans that are denying women lifesaving care are only possible because the former president appointed three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.  The devastating and gut-wrenching consequences of these bans put in place are — enforced by Republican elected officials are very clear. 
    President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that women in every state must have the right to make deeply personal decisions about their health.  They also believe that no woman should ever be denied the care she needs.  They will continue to fight back against these extreme bans and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law.
    And finally, we’re en route, as you all know, to Philadelphia, where the president will announce new actions to further his administration’s historic support for unions.  While in Philadelphia, he’ll announce that his administration has protected 1.2 million pensions because of the American Rescue M- — Rescue Plan’s Butch Lewis Act.  During the visit, President Biden will announce new funding to prevent cuts to the earned pensions benefits of 29,000 UFCW workers and retirees.
    As you can see to my right, I’m joined by acting secretary — Labor Se- — Labor — Labor, Julia Su, who will share more about today’s action and the historic work the President Biden — the president and the vice president have done to support unions.
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Thank you so much, Karine.  Thank you all for being here.  And so, Karine mentioned this.  We are headed to Philadelphia to announce the restoration of the UFCW Tri-State Pension Fund.  This is part of the president’s commitment, which he has had from day one, to do right by working people.  We know that when jobs are good, when working people are protected, our economy is stronger; our nation is stronger. 
    This is the third event that I’m doing like this.  The — the first one was with the carpenters in Detroit.  The second was with the Teamsters in Centralia, Illinois.  Again, you know, a situation where working people who had worked a lifetime and were expecting to be able to retire with dignity because of their pensions were seeing the end of those pensions and were going to see their — their benefits slashed dramatically.
    Because of the Butch Lewis Act, because of the actions of President Biden and Vice President Harris — noting that Vice President Harris cast the deciding vote to pass the American Rescue Plan, of which the Butch Lewis Act is a part — because of that, these individuals are now going to be able to retire, to be able to live with dignity, to be able to take care of themselves and their families as they expected.
    This announcement also comes, obviously, on the same day that we’ve had a jobs day, and, you know, it’s always a time to talk about good jobs, because this administration now, you know, has presided over more jobs being created than any other administration in the same time period.  It’s now over 16 million jobs.  GDP remains strong.  Inflation is still falling.  Wages are still increasing.  Wages have grown faster than inflation for now 17 months straight.  And the unemployment rate remains at 4.1 percent, so it’s been around 4 percent for the longest stretch since the 1960s.
    So, labor market remains very strong, and this shows what happens when you have a president and a vice president who are fighting for workers every single day.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  Thank you.   Go ahead.
    Q    Thank you, Secretary.  On the jobs report, should Americans be concerned of — that the economy is cooling in this moment, and what is the administration doing at the moment to ensure that jobs continue to be generated going forward?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Great.  So, two questions and two answers.  No, we should not be concerned about cooling.  There were some anomalies last month that led to a much lower jobs number.  One was, of course, the devastating hurricanes — back-to-back hurricanes that hit the southeast part of the country.  You know, we saw people who lost their lives, lost their homes, lost their businesses.  The federal government was on the ground immediately, working with state and local authorities to do everything from search and rescue to clearing roads to making sure that people had water and power back.
    But in terms of the jobs numbers, it meant that there were employers who, you know, would have been hiring or may have been even ramping up because of the holiday season coming up who just simply couldn’t do that.  So, the hurricanes had a really big effect.
    And then, of course, there were workers on strike — over 30,000 of them.  And the — when they’re on strike, their numbers also, you know, show up as a decrease in the jobs.  Just the — the nature of the — of the numbers.
    But what do we need to do to continue the incredible economy that we have had is to keep on making the investments that the Biden-Harris administration has had, you know, the — where we’ve got over 60,000 infrastructure projects going on around the country.  I’ve visited many of them.  We have apprenticeship programs bursting at the seams.  People being able to look for jobs and get jobs in communities that were shuttered, where factories were closed in the last administration, now opening up again.  And we just need to keep up that work.
    Q    Can I ask about the Boeing strike situation?  It sounds like there’s a vote set for Monday, if memory serves.  Can you speak to what your view is — is on the latest on that and whe- — whether membership will accept?  Will you expect that this will pass —
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Yes.
    Q    — as opposed to the previous time when it (inaudible)?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Yes.  So, I was in Seattle from Monday to Wednesday.  I brought the parties together at the — at my office in Seattle.  They, you know, deserve a lot of credit.  I want to acknowledge the leadership of both the machinists and Boeing for coming to the table and doing the hard work of negotiating. 
    You know, the president says this all the time; the vice president acknowledges this all the time: Collective bargaining works.  It doesn’t always look pretty from the outside, but when workers have a voice, when unions are strong and workers are able to help determine the conditions of their work, their wages, the future of their industry, it’s better for everybody. 
    And so, now they have a — an unprecedented offer on the table that many people thought was impossible.  And — and they’re — they’re going to vote on it on Monday. 
    Q    Sounds like you think it’ll pass. 
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  I don’t know.  You know, I — you know, we believe as — that — that it’s up to the members, of course.  You know, but these workers have not seen a wage increase like this in a very, very long time. 
    In fact, the first-year wage increase is more than what they’ve had in — in the last many years combined.  So, it’s a — it’s really a sign of collective bargaining working. 
    And, you know, workers exercise their right.  They — you know, i- — that they’re part of what we’re seeing in a Biden-Harris America of — of a new era of worker power, and it is resulting in not just the tremendous job growth we keep talking about but really more equity and more — more powerful working people. 
    Q    You touched on this.  But just to be specific, because the president said in his statement that job growth is expected to rebound in November as the hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts continue, can you give us a sense of what you would project that that could look like?  What could the November picture be?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  So, obviously, the — the devastating weather-related phenomena that we have been facing, you know, has an impact — right? — has a devastating, direct, personal impact on communities that are affected.  It also has an impact on the economy. 
    And so, barring something else like that, you know, that was not a sign of weakness in the economy.  That was really a — you know, a weather-related phenomena.  And so, barring that, we expect, you know, those communities to recover. 
    We’re obviously not just watching it happen or hoping it happens.  We’re in there helping it to happen. 
    And so, you know, again, the investments that we’re making is really the key here, right?  We would not have seen the kind of economy — the 16 million jobs created — without that.  This is not an administration that has just, you know, hoped for the best.  It’s one that inherited the economy that was still reeling from a global pandemic that the last administration had no idea how to address. 
    And what we have done is, you know, really, you know, exceeded all expectations on the recovery.  We need to keep on doing that work.  We need to make sure that those infrastructure projects keep breaking ground; that the fabs that are being built, you know, are completed.  And having union workers do that is a part of that too. 
    And so, you know, there’s no reason to expect that the resilient economy that we’ve seen so far will not bounce back from the anomalies of October. 
    Q    Was President Biden’s transcript altered — 
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Hold on — hold on a second.  Wait a minute. 
    Q    Yeah.  (Laughs.)
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Wait a minute.  Is — any other for the secretary?  Can I have her sit down if — if we’re done?
    Q    Keep it tight, because we’re going to land soon.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Oh, okay.  All right.
    Q    Thank you so much.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Thank you all.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.  Hold on.  I’m going to let AP go first. 
    Go ahead, AP.
    Q    Thank you, Karine.  On AP’s reporting from last night about the potential doctored co-  — about the doctored comments in the recent transcript.  Were you aware that the Press Office — White House Press Office had done this before the stenographer had taken an approval?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, I was asked this question — multiple versions of this question on Wednesday.  I don’t have anything else more to share.  What I can say is — and the president put out a statement that was tweeted out — that’s on X, obviously — ver- — being very clear what he meant, understanding that his words could have been taken out of context. 
    He was talking about the comedian.  He was talking about the hateful rhetoric coming out of — from the comedian at the Sunday rally in Madison Square Garden. 
    And I said this on Wednesday, and I’m going to keep saying this is that the president is always going to continue to call out hateful rhetoric. 
    But of course — of course — and you see this today with the pensions announcement; you saw it this week when he went to Baltimore to an- — to announce some ports infrastructure investment, $147 million that went to Baltimore — to Maryland, specifically; 27 states, 11 of those states are red states.  I mean, these are things that the president wants to continue about, and he always will be a president for everyone, even if you did not vote for him. 
    I don’t have anything else to share beyond that.  What I — what we want to make sure — we think what the most important thing for Americans to know is that this is a president that went back and wanted to clarify what he said, because he didn’t want to take it out of context.  I think that says a lot about this president.
    And we’ve been pretty consistent about him wanting to be a president and continuing to be a president for all Americans.  And that’s what you’re going to see.  I don’t have anything else to add beyond that.
    Q    What does the — have you all received reports about Iran potentially having a re- — a strike against — a retaliatory strike from its proxies?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, as you said, there are reports that Israeli in- — intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days, possibly before the U.S. presidential election.  Is — is that the U.S. view as well?  You know, I’m not — I’m going to be really careful.  I’m not going to — to your question, I’m not going to speculate or discuss intelligence assessments on this from here.
    So — but we’ve been very clear that Iran should not respond.  I said this on Wednesday.  We will continue to support Israel.  Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad.  And — and if they choose this to do so, obviously we will continue to support Israel as they continue to protect themselves and their security. 
    So, I don’t have anything to share.  I’m not going to read into that.
    Q    Is the president aware of former President Trump’s comments about Liz Cheney that he made last night?  And does he have a reaction to that?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, he’s aware.  Obviously, you all have done — have covered — covered those remarks.  Here’s what I would say to that.  It is — it is unacceptable; it is dangerous to — to — to s- — to speak to political violence, to talk about political vi- — violence, to lift up political violence. 
    And what we are doing and we will continue to do is denounce that, condemn that.  There is no place, anywhere, for any type of violence, no place for political violence. 
    And it — and this is a time we shouldn’t be using inflammatory language.  We should be specifically focusing on bringing the country together, and that’s what this president wants to see, and that’s what he’s going to continue to speak to. 
    Q    Do you think those comments put Liz Cheney at risk?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I mean, look, I can’t speak to that.  I can’t get into hypotheticals.  What we know is that those type of comments tend to be dangerous, right?  They can be dangerous. 
    That’s — we’re hearing violent rhetoric, and we’re going to continue to condemn that.  It is inappropriate in the political space, and — and it is inflammatory language that should not be said by anyone, certainly by — not when someone has a — a leadership — national leadership.
    Q    Has there been any discussion about heightening the security preparations this week in response to what we’ve seen?  Whether it’s, you know, ahead of the election, after the election for certain members of Congress, what does that look like at this point?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  For certain members of Congress specifically?
    Q    Well, just for that and then broader security preparations.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Well, look, I — I would have to — as it relates to Congress, obviously, that’s the — something for — the Capitol Police can speak to.  I can’t speak to that.
    Look, I think that what you’ll see from this — from this president is that, you know, free and fair elections and especially peaceful election are the cornerstone of our democracy.  And election officials and poll workers are dedicated to public servants who make our democracy work, and they deserve to do their job — their job safely and freely without harassment, without threat of violence. 
    So, we strongly condemn anyone who threatens or harasses them.  And so — but I also believe and we also believe that people should trust in our institutions and trust that this will be a free and fair election.
    Q    What about Lebanon?  Can you give us a status report?  Are those talks dead?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, a couple of things.  As you know, Brett and —
    AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  Going to need everyone to take their seats, please.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  Well, we got to go.
    AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  There’s going to be some turbulence.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  We’ll — we’ll have more fo- — we can share — I would reach out to the NSC team, and they’ll share more about things.  But we have to sit down.
    Thanks, everybody. 
    Q    Thanks, Karine.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.  It’s really bumpy.
    2:59 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund Provides Unaudited Balance Sheet Information and Announces Its Net Asset Value and Asset Coverage Ratios at October 31, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) (NYSE: KYN) today provided a summary unaudited statement of assets and liabilities and announced its net asset value and asset coverage ratios under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) as of October 31, 2024.

    As of October 31, 2024, the Company’s net assets were $2.2 billion, and its net asset value per share was $12.97. As of October 31, 2024, the Company’s asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 675% and the Company’s asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to total leverage (debt and preferred stock) was 483%.

     STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
    OCTOBER 31, 2024  //  (UNAUDITED)
     
        (in millions)
    Investments   $ 3,002.2  
    Cash and cash equivalents     35.7  
    Accrued income     11.2  
    Current tax asset, net     6.6  
    Other assets     0.5  
    Total assets     3,056.2  
         
    Notes     409.7  
    Unamortized notes issuance costs     (2.8 )
    Preferred stock     163.1  
    Unamortized preferred stock issuance costs     (1.3 )
    Total leverage     568.7  
         
    Payable for securities purchased     5.1  
    Other liabilities     13.3  
    Deferred tax liability, net     275.1  
    Total liabilities     293.5  
         
    Net assets   $ 2,194.0  
         
     

    The Company had 169,126,038 common shares outstanding as of October 31, 2024.

    Long-term investments were comprised of Midstream Energy Companies (96%), Utility Companies (3%) and Other Energy (1%).

    The Company’s ten largest holdings by issuer at October 31, 2024 were:

          Amount
    (in millions)*    		   % Long Term
    Investments
    1. The Williams Companies, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)   $             309.5   10.3 %
    2. Energy Transfer LP (Midstream Energy Company)     281.1   9.4 %
    3. MPLX LP (Midstream Energy Company)                    273.6   9.1 %
    4. Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (Midstream Energy Company)     258.3   8.6 %
    5. ONEOK, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)     226.8   7.6 %
    6. Targa Resources Corp. (Midstream Energy Company)     220.0   7.3 %
    7. Cheniere Energy, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)     194.5   6.5 %
    8. Kinder Morgan, Inc. (Midstream Energy Company)     184.9   6.2 %
    9. Western Midstream Partners, LP (Midstream Energy Company)     138.6   4.6 %
    10. Pembina Pipeline Corporation (Midstream Energy Company)     132.3   4.4 %
    * Includes ownership of common and preferred units.

    ###

    Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice. The mention of specific securities is not a recommendation or solicitation for any person to buy, sell or hold any particular security. You can obtain a complete listing of holdings by viewing the Company’s most recent quarterly or annual report.

    Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (NYSE: KYN) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, whose common stock is traded on the NYSE. The company’s investment objective is to provide a high after-tax total return with an emphasis on making cash distributions to stockholders. KYN intends to achieve this objective by investing at least 80% of its total assets in securities of Energy Infrastructure Companies. See Glossary of Key Terms in the Company’s most recent quarterly report for a description of these investment categories and the meaning of capitalized terms.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer or sale is not permitted. Nothing contained in this press release is intended to recommend any investment policy or investment strategy or consider any investor’s specific objectives or circumstances. Before investing, please consult with your investment, tax, or legal adviser regarding your individual circumstances.

    CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This communication contains statements reflecting assumptions, expectations, projections, intentions, or beliefs about future events. These and other statements not relating strictly to historical or current facts constitute forward-looking statements as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties. These risks include but are not limited to changes in economic and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; energy industry risk; leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; and other risks discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC, available at www.kaynefunds.com or www.sec.gov. Actual events could differ materially from these statements or our present expectations or projections. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Kayne Anderson undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the Company’s investment objectives will be attained.

    Contact investor relations at 877-657-3863 or cef@kayneanderson.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence (2+2) Ministerial Meeting joint statement

    Source: Government of Canada News

    We, the ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of national defence of Canada and the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on November 1, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada, for the inaugural Canada-ROK Foreign and Defence (2+2) Ministerial Meeting (“the ministerial”). The ministerial builds upon the elevation of our diplomatic relationship to that of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and is a key deliverable of the CSP Action Plan launched in July 2024.

    November 1, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    We, the ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of national defence of Canada and the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on November 1, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada, for the inaugural Canada-ROK Foreign and Defence (2+2) Ministerial Meeting (“the ministerial”). The ministerial builds upon the elevation of our diplomatic relationship to that of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and is a key deliverable of the CSP Action Plan launched in July 2024.

    Today, through several new announcements and initiatives, we demonstrate our resolve to deepen cooperation to reinforce global stability in the face of interconnected challenges in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. In this, Canada and the ROK are stronger together.

    Partners for global stability

    We condemn in the strongest possible terms North Korea’s deepening military cooperation with Russia in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, including the provision of millions of rounds of ammunition and ballistic missiles to support Russia’s brutal and unjustifiable war of aggression in Ukraine. We are gravely concerned that large numbers of North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia, which is a significant escalation with dangerous implications for security and stability in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. We are closely monitoring what Russia provides North Korea in return for weapons and military personnel, including Russia’s possible provision of sensitive technology to advance North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs. We call on North Korea and Russia to immediately cease these unlawful and destabilizing activities and to withdraw North Korean troops from Russia. Recognizing that the security of the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions are increasingly interconnected, we commit to actively pursuing further measures together with the international community. 

    We call on Russia to withdraw its forces immediately, completely, and unconditionally from all Ukrainian territory to its internationally recognized borders; we reiterate our unwavering support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

    We express our deep concern with any nation’s efforts to support Russia’s war economy, such as through the transfer of dual-use materials, including weapons components and equipment, which enable Russia to prolong and sustain its illegal war in Ukraine.

    We condemn North Korea’s nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, and continued missile launches, including its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test on October 31 (local time), which threatens peace and stability in the region and across the globe, are in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) and international law. It only demonstrates that North Korea continues to prioritize its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people, and we call on North Korea to cease its destabilizing actions. We reaffirm that any further nuclear test by North Korea would be met with a strong and resolute response from the international community. We continue to call for the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea’s WMDs. The ROK reiterated the goals of its Audacious Initiative and ‘August 15 Unification Doctrine’ and

    Canada expressed strong support for the ROK’s efforts to achieve a denuclearized, free, peaceful, prosperous, and unified Korean Peninsula.

    Both countries remain committed to multilateral sanctions evasion monitoring efforts and Canada will continue to provide assets via the Canadian Armed Forces’ Operation NEON. 

    We were pleased to join other participating countries last month in launching the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT). We reaffirm the goal of assisting all UN Member States in implementing UN sanctions on North Korea by publishing information on sanctions violations and evasion attempts.

    We highlight the valuable contributions of the United Nations Command (UNC) to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The ROK commends Canada for its unwavering support of the UNC since its inception, and Canada’s current leadership role within the UNC through its provision of its Deputy Commander. The co-hosting of the UNC Ministerial together this year is a symbol of our powerful ties and shared priorities in the areas of security and defence, and we will continue to collaborate closely to strengthen cooperation among the ROK, UNC and its Member States.

    The ROK and Canada are committed to working together to actively promote and protect human rights in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, including within North Korea and to seeking accountability for human rights violations.

    We reiterate that the situation of human rights in North Korea is intrinsically linked to international peace and security, and we call on North Korea to engage fully and constructively with the international community, including during its upcoming Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council. We also look forward to the next iteration of the Canada-ROK North Korean Human Rights Dialogue.

    Canada and the ROK affirm our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. We continue to advocate for peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region.  We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific. We reaffirm that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity.

    Canada and the ROK express their support for the global maritime order based on international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We express concern about developments in the South China Sea, and emphasize the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability and freedom of navigation and overflight in and above the South China Sea , consistent with UNCLOS.

    Canada appreciates the ROK’s participation in the Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula, hosted by Canada, Ukraine and Norway in Montreal on October 31st, demonstrating our joint resolve to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Canada and the ROK will continue to discuss ways to jointly support Ukraine’s Peace Formula, while providing the support Ukraine requires to secure a just and lasting peace.

    Indo-Pacific partners

    Canada and the ROK acknowledge the Indo-Pacific region’s pivotal role in shaping global geopolitical and economic relations in the 21st century, with long-term implications for our shared prosperity and security. Canada and the ROK share a common vision for the region to be more secure, free, peaceful, prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable.

    In this context, we congratulate the organizers of the successful Canada-Korea Forum held on October 24-26, 2024 in Montreal, and the Korean Peninsula Symposium on October 23, 2024, co-organized with the Embassies of Japan, and the United States.

    To deepen and implement bilateral collaboration in the region, we announce today the launch of the Canada-Korea Indo-Pacific Dialogue, where our respective Special Envoys for the Indo-Pacific will engage on identifying synergies and joining action on shared regional priorities.

    We also look forward to the Indo-Pacific High-Level Forum, co-hosted by the ROK and Australia, in Seoul on December 13, as we recognize the importance of cooperation with the broader community of Indo-Pacific partners.

    In 2025, we look forward to Canada’s G7 Presidency and the ROK’s hosting of APEC. We further elaborated today how our two countries will establish synergies and use our leadership for cooperation on regional and global challenges. Canada looks forward to working with the ROK on advancing G7 priorities as relevant, including building economies that benefit everyone, fighting climate change, and managing rapidly evolving technologies. Furthermore, the ROK and Canada look forward to working together for a productive APEC in 2025.

    As actively engaged global partners, we will deepen our collective engagement with ASEAN, leveraging the ROK-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Canada-ASEAN Strategic Partnership, while reaffirming our commitment to the principle of ASEAN Centrality.

    Partners in security and defence   

    Canada and the ROK are committed to deepening partnerships in security and advancing shared defence priorities through bilateral and multilateral initiatives.   Canada and the ROK will strengthen bilateral and multilateral exercises, including holding regular Army Staff Talks, with the inaugural edition to be hosted in Canada.  

    We are committed to jointly delivering and collaborating on Women, Peace and Security, so that women have full, meaningful and equal participation in defence and security, peace operations and peace negotiations. As we seek to enhance women’s participation in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict state building, Canada and the ROK will leverage the ROK’s 2024-2025 UNSC seat to jointly advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda globally as well as in the Indo-Pacific region.

    We will continue to cooperate on maritime safety, and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, including through detecting dark vessels and joint patrols under Operation North Pacific Guard. We will also continue to explore ways of addressing maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific through enhanced maritime domain awareness and relevant instruments such as the Regional Cooperation Agreement Combatting Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

    We will further utilize the Canada-Korea Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Materiel Cooperation to share technical information, discuss defence equipment and technology issues of mutual interest, and identify opportunities for bilateral defence materiel cooperation, and hold the 3rd Joint Meeting (Materiel) in Canada in 2025.

    We agree to expand our work within the Canada-Korea Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Research and Development, to encourage collaboration between respective defence research and development organizations.

    Canada welcomes the contribution of the ROK as a NATO partner and commits to working with the ROK to advance its Individually Tailored Partnership Programme. Canada further welcomes the ROK’s recent participation at the NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels. 

    Addressing non-traditional security challenges

    We recognize that climate change is the defining challenge of our time and a threat multiplier that impacts our collective security, including within the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic areas, and we affirm our strong support for NATO’s Climate Change and Security Agenda. 

    We acknowledge that our democratic values, institutions and processes, and our citizens’ fundamental freedoms, are increasingly vulnerable to hybrid and digital threats, such as foreign interference and disinformation, and we will continue to expand our cooperative efforts to combat these threats.

    We are committed to addressing threats and seizing opportunities linked to cybersecurity and emerging technologies, including threats to the rule of law, democracy, and critical infrastructure. We are pleased to announce today that we will hold Canada-Korea Cyber Policy Consultations to exchange information on each other’s policies, strategies and capabilities. Canada is also pleased to note the ROK’s fruitful engagement with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallin, Estonia, of which Canada is also a member.

    We recognize the importance of the responsible use of artificial intelligence, including in the military domain. Canada commends the ROK for hosting several high-level international gatherings on AI to advance discussions on global AI governance, including the AI Seoul Summit in May 2024, and the Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military domain (REAIM) Summit in September 2024, in Seoul. We strongly support the Seoul Declaration for safe, innovative, and inclusive AI and the principles for the responsible development, deployment, and use of AI in the military domain articulated in the REAIM Blueprint for Action.

    The relationship between our two nations dates back centuries; reinforced by our countries’ collective efforts to defend peace and security on the Korean Peninsula since the Korean War. We commit to meeting in this format on a biennial basis and look forward to the next iteration of this Ministerial in 2026, where we will reflect on and examine how we may further build upon the achievements stemming from today’s discussion.

    Annex – announcements

    Today, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Canada and the Republic of Korea announced that our countries have agreed to:

    • Hold this Ministerial on a biennial basis and look forward to its next iteration in 2026 to follow-up on the achievements of today’s discussion.
    • Launch the Canada-Korea Indo-Pacific Dialogue, where our respective Special Envoys for the Indo-Pacific will engage on identifying synergies and joint action on shared regional priorities, including in the North Pacific.
    • Advance bilateral diplomatic intelligence cooperation and analytic exchanges between our respective foreign ministries.
    • Expedite the negotiations to finalize the Agreement on the Protection of Classified Military/Defence Information.
    • Explore measures to facilitate and deepen military operational cooperation.
    • Strengthen bilateral and multilateral exercises, including holding regular Army Staff Talks, with the inaugural edition to be hosted in Canada.
    • Hold the 3rd Joint Meeting (Materiel), hosted by Canada in 2025 under the Canada-Korea Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Materiel Cooperation, and continue to identify and expand opportunities for defence cooperation.
    • Hold Canada-Korea bilateral Cyber Policy Consultations.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Another Palestinian journalist killed in Gaza as Israel ‘suffocates the truth’

    “In his message for the day, the secretary-general underscores that a free press is fundamental to human rights, to democracy and to the rule of law,” Dujarric said.

    ‘Alarming rate of fatalities’
    “Recent years have seen an alarming rate of fatalities in conflict zones, particularly in Gaza, which has seen the highest number of killings of journalists and media workers in a war in decades.

    “In his message, he warned that journalists in Gaza have been killed at a level unseen by any conflict in modern times.

    “The ongoing ban preventing international journalists from Gaza suffocates the truth even further,” he said.

    Many Lebanese journalists have been shot and assassinated too, even well before Israel’s siege in Lebanon.

    Some are sharing their blood type just in case they need life-saving blood after being shot.

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to introduce new policies in November to boost consumption: official

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — China will launch a series of consumption promotion events in five major cities in November and roll out new policies aimed at boosting consumer spending, Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said Friday.

    Sheng made the announcement during a press conference, noting that the policies will shore up the debut economy, bolster the wholesale and retail industries, and support pilot projects for modern commercial circulation in 20 cities, including Shanghai and Tianjin.

    Sheng said that the ministry will also pilot automotive sales reform and unveil health consumption action plans.

    The consumption promotion events will kick off on Sunday in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing, which are designated as the country’s international consumption center cities.

    Emphasizing the importance of these cities, the vice minister noted that their retail sales of consumer goods account for over 13 percent of the national total, with imports of consumer goods exceeding 50 percent.

    Focusing on the debut economy, these cities will host a variety of activities related to shopping, dining and tourism, including food festivals, camping events and sporting activities, as well as exhibitions and performances. Local governments will roll out supportive measures, such as incentives for new store openings and consumer vouchers.

    Sheng said that these events will create a synergistic effect with the new policies, delivering tangible benefits to consumers.

    Stimulating consumption is a crucial component of China’s strategy to support economic recovery. This year, the government has already implemented various measures to expand domestic demand, including a large-scale trade-in program for consumer goods.

    In the first three quarters of 2024, China’s total retail sales of consumer goods reached 35.4 trillion yuan (about 5 trillion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 3.3 percent. Notably, the trade-in program has seen 1.68 million subsidy applications for automobiles as of Oct. 30, with the sales of household appliances reaching 24.03 million units.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi meets Macao’s incoming chief executive Sam Hou Fai

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    President Xi Jinping meets with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and recently appointed by China’s central government, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — President Xi Jinping on Friday met with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and recently appointed by China’s central government.

    The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Witnessed by Xi, Premier Li Qiang presented Sam with a decree of the State Council appointing the latter as the sixth-term chief executive of the Macao SAR.

    Xi congratulated Sam on his appointment, and commended him for holding a firm stance of loving the country and Macao, conscientiously fulfilling his duties, and making contributions to Macao’s prosperity and stability during his long tenure as the president of Macao’s Court of Final Appeal.

    “In the election, you were nominated and elected by an overwhelming majority, which demonstrates the broad recognition and support from the society of Macao. The central authorities fully acknowledge this and have full trust in you,” Xi said.

    Over the past 25 years since Macao’s return to the motherland, the practice of “one country, two systems” with Macao characteristics has achieved remarkable success, Xi said.

    He said that the central authorities will stay committed to fully and faithfully implementing the “one country, two systems” principle under which the people of Macao administer Macao with a high degree of autonomy.

    Xi told Sam that assuming the chief executive office comes with significant responsibilities, and urged him to fulfill his mission by leading the new SAR government in uniting various sectors of the Macao society and continuously breaking new ground in the practice of “one country, two systems” with Macao characteristics.

    Sam said he felt deeply honored for the appointment and pledged to, under the leadership of President Xi and the central government, implement the “one country, two systems” principle fully, faithfully and unswervingly and lead Macao toward comprehensive progress.

    Senior officials including Li Qiang, Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang attended the meeting.

    President Xi Jinping meets with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and recently appointed by China’s central government, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Witnessed by President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang presents Sam Hou Fai with a decree of the State Council appointing the latter as the sixth-term chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. Xi on Friday met with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao SAR and recently appointed by China’s central government. [Photo/Xinhua]
    President Xi Jinping meets with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) and recently appointed by China’s central government, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier holds talks with Slovak PM

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. Li held talks with Fico in Beijing on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with visiting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday.

    Noting that Slovakia is one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Li said that over the past 75 years, China-Slovakia relations have developed in a healthy and stable manner. The two sides enjoy mutual respect, equality and friendly cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, he added.

    China is willing to maintain high-level political mutual trust with the Slovak side, Li noted, saying that the two sides should expand cooperation led by the high-quality Belt and Road development.

    Li said that both countries should give full play to the role of the joint economic committee and the science and technology cooperation committee, and promote cooperation in fields including China-Europe Railway Express, connectivity, and infrastructure construction.

    The two sides should further expand bilateral trade volume, and explore the cooperation potential in emerging industries such as digital economy and green economy, to jointly foster new economic drivers for both countries, said Li.

    China and Slovakia should make joint efforts to provide a better business environment for enterprises in each other’s countries, said the premier. He noted that both sides should continue to improve exchanges in cultural tourism, science, education, sports, media, youth, and other areas of people-to-people exchanges, and promote the establishment of cultural centers in each other’s countries to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

    For his side, Fico mentioned that China’s development accomplishments in recent years have set an example for countries around the world. He said Slovakia supports the global initiatives proposed by China.

    Slovakia firmly abides by the one-China policy, and recognizes that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, said Fico.

    The prime minister said that Slovakia opposes the extra tariffs imposed by the EU on Chinese electric vehicles, adding that the EU and China should seek a proper solution through dialogue and consultation. He said that Slovakia is willing to strengthen exchanges and coordination with China in international affairs to jointly tackle global challenges.

    After their talks, Li and Fico witnessed the signing of multiple documents on bilateral cooperation in the fields of transportation, economy and trade, culture, tourism, and green and low-carbon development.

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Marshall joins National Report: President Trump Has the Backs of American Farmers & Ranchers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Kansas City, Kansas. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined National Report on Newsmax to discuss the White House altering records of President Joe Biden calling Trump supporters ‘Garbage,’ and how Kamala Harris has sidelined American agriculture. 
    Senator Marshall highlighted his new op-ed, Farmers and Ranchers Turn to Trump to Deliver, that contrasts President Trump’s Farmers First agenda with the past four years of the Biden-Harris anti-agriculture agenda.
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from the interview include:
    On White House Altering Record of Biden Calling Trump Supporters ‘Garbage’: 
    “I think this is the next chapter on why don’t Americans trust their federal government anymore. We see our jobs numbers again, were doctored as well, and we got a very horrible jobs report today.”
    “At the end of the day, I think that people in the Midwest that we’re concerned about our values being attacked and lying and deceit is the opposite of the values that we were raised on. That we were raised on values like faith and family, and country. And here we have a Democrat Party, the leading candidate for the President of the United States of the Democrats, thinks that boys should compete in girls’ sports, that we should be paying for transgender surgeries, that boys should be in girls’ lockers. One more example of our values being attacked.”
    On Kamala Harris’ Sidelining American Agriculture:
    “Kamala Harris is going to continue this same aggressive assault on American agriculture, American energy, and those are really the same thing. Look, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris gave us a record drop in net farmer income… and they just drowned us in regulations. That drop in income occurred because our energy costs went up, fuel and fertilizers, but interest rates just swamped our farmers as well.”
    “President Trump, on the other hand – we did great under him in the agricultural world. He rolled back regulations; he gave us trade agreements… Kamala Harris has not done one trade agreement. She’s not even tried to do a trade agreement. As I think of those Midwest states that are up for grabs, dairy is so important to them. Thanks to President Trump, our trade agreements have increased exports of milk products from $6 billion to $9 billion a year. So, President Trump has always prioritized agriculture. Every time I see President Trump, he asks me, Roger, how are your farmers doing? You know, he gave farmers $28 billion in that tariff money from China when they were manipulating markets as well. So, President Trump has the back of American farmers and ranchers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Lee, Marshall, Slam DHS for Tuberculosis Surge in U.S. as a Result of Open Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    “There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them.”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) in demanding answers from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as to how the department plans to address the surge in tuberculosis (TB) from illegal aliens being released into the U.S.
    In a letter to Secretary Mayorkas, the senators admonished his management of the worst border crisis in U.S. history, which has put the lives and property of Americans at risk of harm. They also demand answers, by November 13, 2024,  on whether the department is releasing aliens with TB, and what measures are being taken to prevent TB from spreading.
    “For the past 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have willfully opened our borders, allowing millions of criminals, murderers, drug dealers, and terrorists to flood into our country unchecked,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have been brutally murdered by illegal aliens. But it doesn’t stop there – there have been no health screenings of these populations. Since the creation of the administration’s illegal parole programs, we have seen a 16% rise in Tuberculosis cases between 2022 and 2023 alone. How many more Americans have to needlessly lose their lives before the Biden-Harris administration will take the open border seriously? I join my Republican colleagues in calling on Secretary Mayorkas, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris to secure the border and save American lives.”
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    October 30th, 2024
    The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
    Secretary
    U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    Washington, D.C. 20528
    Secretary Mayorkas,
    Your mismanagement of the border continues to jeopardize the health and safety of American citizens. Due to your negligence and refusal to enforce our current laws, tuberculosis (TB) is rapidly spreading through the millions of unscreened illegal immigrants released into the interior of the United States putting American lives and health at severe risk.
    While the United States previously had one of the lowest TB rates globally, steadily declining for 27 years, your appointment as the Secretary of Homeland Security in February 2021 ushered in a new era. Since then, TB case counts have continuously increased each year with a 16% increase from 2022 to 2023 alone. It is well-documented by academics and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) that foreign-born persons represent the greatest threat for the spread of TB, some of whom come from countries with TB rates as high as 60 times the U.S. rates.
    Despite this increasing human health risk, you have turned what was once border security into a rubber-stamp for any individual seeking access to the interior. Since the start of Fiscal Year 2021, Customs and Border Protection recorded nearly 11 million inadmissible encounters and roughly two million known “gotaways” who evaded Border Patrol agents with unknown numbers of illegal aliens evading detection altogether. Rather than requiring immigrants to apply for status prior to arriving at the border, and undergo health screenings, your policies encourage immigrants to unlawfully enter the interior with no meaningful processing, screening, or security analysis. As reported by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the top seven nationalities encountered by CBP—Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, and Haiti—all have significantly higher TB case rates than the U.S. There can be no doubt that your administration’s failure to enforce the law is the cause for the dramatic and dangerous rise of TB in the U.S.
    While unscreened illegal immigrants are bringing TB into the U.S., they are not the only ones suffering from it. As the CDC noted on March 24, 2024, “National [TB] case counts increased among all age groups and among both U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born persons” [emphasis added]. Given TB’s status as one of the world’s leading airborne infectious diseases, it is no wonder that a frightening number of Americans are contracting it. While FAIR correctly details in its report how border counties are bearing the brunt of the TB influx, it is abundantly clear that Americans across the U.S. are feeling the harmful effects of open border policies. The Biden Harris Administration’s border crisis has made every town in America a border town.  Just this month, an illegal Chinese immigrant in Louisiana exposed hundreds of individuals in the U.S. to a rare and aggressive form of TB with high mortality rates.
    There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them. In addition to closing the border, detaining and deporting inadmissible aliens, and working with the administration to re-instate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, we request that you reinstate Title 42 expulsion authority for this dangerous communicable disease. It is your duty to protect the health and safety of the American people.  
    Given the severity and time-sensitive nature of this crisis, please provide detailed responses to the following inquiries no later than November 13, 2024:
    Does DHS recognize the correlation between increased illegal immigration to the U.S. from countries with high TB rates and the increase in TB cases in the U.S., including among U.S.-born persons?
    Has DHS taken any meaningful steps to mitigate the spread of TB from illegal immigrants entering the country from high-rate countries?  If yes, please explain.
    Does DHS recognize the increase in tuberculosis cases as a public health crisis?
    Has any DHS employee consulted with the White House on this issue?

    Since January 20th, 2021, how many illegal immigrants has DHS screened for TB or referred to HHS for screening?
    Are illegal immigrants screened for active and latent TB upon transfer to a detention facility?
    If an illegal immigrant tests positive for either form of TB, what are the quarantine/removal protocols to protect border patrol agents and other detainees from infection?

    Has DHS knowingly released or paroled illegal immigrants into the U.S. with an active or latent TB infection?
    Does DHS have a contingency plan to address the rising number of TB-positive illegal immigrants entering the U.S. and prevent the spread to Americans? 
     If so, please explain.
    Does this plan include coordination with the CDC and HHS to strengthen screening and testing protocols for TB-positive illegal immigrants?
     Does this plan include using Title 42 expulsion authority under 8 U.S.C. §1182 to render immigrants with TB inadmissible?

    Have you discussed this issue with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 authority to declare TB a communicable disease of public health significance, thereby rendering immigrants with TB inadmissible?
    If not, why not?

    Have you discussed this issue with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 expulsion authority to suspend entry for immigrants with TB?
    If not, why not?

    Sincerely,
    MORE:
    ICYMI: Tuberville Reacts to Kamala Harris’ Failure to Answer for Failed Border Policies
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Fox Business to Discuss Biden’s Border Crisis
    Tuberville Forces Vote on Border Safety and Security Act
    Tuberville Honors Border Crisis Victims
    Tuberville: “Our Priority Should Be Securing Our Border, Not A War In Eastern Europe”
    Tuberville Stands With Texas on Border Security
    Tuberville: Not One Dime For Ukraine Until The Border is Secure
    U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, Bill Hagerty Hold DOJ Accountable for Failure to Prosecute Wrongful Voter Registration by Illegal Border Crossers
    Tuberville Questions Pentagon Nominees On Defense Spending, Border Wall Sales
    Tuberville Introduces Amendment to Secure the Border and Stop the Flow of Deadly Fentanyl
    Tuberville Demands Biden Admin Protect Unaccompanied Children at the Border From Traffickers, Criminals
    Tuberville Continues Fight to Secure Southern Border
    Tuberville Demands Answers from DHS Regarding Chinese Nationals and Suspected Terrorists Exploiting the Open Southern Border
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Secure the Border Act of 2023
    Tuberville, Armed Services Republicans Call for Halt to Border Wall Materials Auctions
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Strike Down Dangerous Biden Border Policy
    Tuberville, Carter Reintroduce Empowering Law Enforcement Act as Border Crisis Intensifies
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Keyshawn Savory, 24, pleaded guilty to six counts before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about April 11, May 28, July 15, and August 1, 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Savory acted as a straw purchaser when purchasing firearms from several federally licensed firearms dealers by stating that the firearms were being purchased for himself, when he actually was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.

    Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Savory.

    This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Inslee activates some Washington National Guard members to support public safety activities related to the 2024 elections

    Source: Washington State News

    Today, Gov. Jay Inslee activated some Washington National Guard members to be on stand-by in the event they are asked to support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol during election week. The governor has given The Adjutant General the authority to determine how many members of the Guard will be activated. 

    This is a purely precautionary measure taken in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s nationwide warnings regarding threats to election infrastructure and other recent activities that have occurred in southwestern Washington.

    The Guard will be on stand-by for four days, beginning Monday, November 4, and ending just after midnight on Thursday, November 7, 2024. 

    Read the governor’s letter to Major General Gent Welsh activating the National Guard. Full text is also below. 

    November 1, 2024

    Major General Gent Welsh
    The Adjutant General
    Washington Military Department
    Building 1
    Camp Murray, WA 98430-5000

    Re: Activation of Washington National Guard assets to support public safety activities related to the 2024 Elections.

    Dear Major General Welsh:

    Based upon general and specific information and concerns regarding the potential for violence or other unlawful activity related to the 2024 general election, I want to ensure we are fully prepared to respond to any potential additional civil unrest of the type described in RCW 38.08.040 occurring within Washington State leading up to, on, and potentially extending beyond November 5, 2024, the date of the 2024 general election.

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned that threats to election infrastructure during the 2024 election cycle remains high. The southwest region of Washington state has already experienced specific instances of election-related unrest. On October 28, 2024, an incendiary device was set off in a drop box in Vancouver, Washington, damaging or destroying hundreds of ballots, and a similar device targeted a ballot box in Portland, Oregon.

    In response to the situation described above and the potential for further violence and illegal activity, I am directing the Washington National Guard (WANG) to prepare to provide critical public safety support by activating necessary Washington National Guard personnel in a standby status. In this role, the WANG will support local law enforcement and the Washington State Patrol as needed. Our state depends on these skilled individuals for critical support to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, to include support necessary to protect vital infrastructure related to carrying out free and fair elections and to respond to any unrest related to the 2024 general election.

    Preparation to respond to civil unrest of the type already experienced will also require state level coordination and the activation of additional support functions within Washington’s Emergency Management System.

    Under RCW 38.08.040, I am authorized to order the Washington National Guard, or any part thereof, into active service of the State to perform such duty as I deem proper when required for the public health, safety, or welfare and to prepare for events described in RCW 38.08.040. I find that such preparation, and this activation of the Washington National Guard, is required now for the protection of the public health, safety, or welfare of Washington State agencies and the people they serve.

    Therefore, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the state of Washington, pursuant to RCW 38.08.040 and in response to the above-referenced request, and believing such action is necessary for preserving public health, safety and welfare, order into temporary active state service for up to four days, beginning Monday, November 4, 2024, as many members of the Washington National Guard as may be necessary and deemed appropriate for the circumstances described above in the opinion of The Adjutant General of the Washington State Military Department to support public safety efforts related to the 2024 elections, as well as activation of support functions within Washington’s Emergency Management System.

    This order of activation expires at 12:01 a.m. on November 8, 2024.

    Very truly yours,

    Jay Inslee
    Governor

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in South Carolina

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — United States Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in South Carolina for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in Dallas, Palo Pinto

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Leigha Simonton announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Dallas County and Palo Pinto County for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country. 

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day. 

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion. 

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. 

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting.

    Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Christmas Day Robbery Gets Woman Prison Term

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Derricka Burton, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for a Christmas Day robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                The Honorable Robert Salerno sentenced Burton to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Burton was found guilty on June 20, 2024 of two counts of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

                According to the government’s evidence, at around 2:38 p.m. on December 25, 2023, Burton and three co-conspirators saw the victims, a couple spending time together at the Alethia Tanner Park, located at 227 Harry Thomas Way Northeast. Video footage showed Burton and her co-conspirators huddle together before two of her co-conspirators walked up to the victims and robbed them. Burton’s co-conspirators pointed a gun at the victims and demanded the victims’ Canada Goose brand jacket, cellphone, and other items. The co-conspirators then walked back to Burton and the other co-conspirators. The group conferred with each other and left together. As they did so, one of the co-conspirators dropped some of the stolen property, which Burton picked up before she left with the group.  Police arrested Burton on February 12, 2024.

               In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun and Katrenia Shelly, who prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to monitor compliance in Alaska

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in five Alaska jurisdictions for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The jurisdictions to be monitored are:

    • Bethel Census Area
    • Dillingham Census Area
    • Kusilvak Census Area
    • North Slope Borough
    • Northwest Arctic Borough

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department to Monitor Compliance in San Juan County, Utah

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in San Juan County for the Nov. 5 general election.

    The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities all across the country.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.

    The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.

    On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at 801-325-3311.

    Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.

    Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.

    More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cook Islands PM calls for easing of tensions in New Caledonia

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has returned from New Caledonia saying it is not a simple “black and white situation”.

    Brown returned from a three-day Pacific fact-finding mission in the French Pacific territory alongside the Prime Ministers of Solomon Islands, Tonga and Fiji.

    New Caledonia has been going through a period of turmoil with violence and arson since May, resulting in 13 deaths and the destruction of many businesses.

    “There’s no doubt there is a call and a need for the easing of tensions in the country,” Brown said.

    “This would enable more dialogue to take place between the various vested groups to find a pathway forward for New Caledonia.”

    Brown said Kanaky New Caledonia’s population was diverse, made up of indigenous Kanak, French, and Pacific diaspora.

    Almost all of these groups want greater autonomy from France with some also wanting full independence or to remain a French territory, he said.

    “But you have quite a large group between those two extremes that want a way forward that enables New Caledonians, all of them, to be able to determine their own future.”

    Pacific policing France ‘may wish to consider’
     Brown said Australia’s newly proposed regional policing initiative is “an option that New Caledonians may wish to consider”.

    “At the moment that’s being done by the state government through France through its gendarmes and police force.”

    The last time regional policing was used was in Solomon Islands after ethnic unrest in the 2000s, he said.

    When asked whether France had “militarised” New Caledonia, Brown said France sent a lot of support “to help maintain law and order” but the focus now was on the reduction of tensions and dialogue.

    France’s Ambassador to the Pacific Véronique told the ABC she doubted French authorities would see the need for Pacific police to be deployed to New Caledonia.

    Brown said the other issue was the need for an urgent financial package.

    “Unlike most other Pacific countries in cases of disaster whether they be natural disaster or other sorts, Pacific countries have the likes of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, development partners that would support and assist.

    Relying solely on France
    “In the case of New Caledonia, it doesn’t have the association with any of those financial institutions and would rely solely on France for its support.”

    There needed to first be a reduction of tensions so that any rebuild would not be under threat from more civil unrest, he said.

    Brown said Pacific nations had taken different decolonisation paths — with the exception of Tonga which had never been colonised.

    Fiji became a republic after a number of coups and Cook Islands is self-governing in free association with New Zealand.

    “Each of us took a different path to where we are today to gain our autonomy and our sovereignty and it’s something that we were able to share with New Caledonia.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China revises rules to ease foreign strategic investment in listed firms

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — Chinese authorities on Friday released revised rules on foreign investors’ strategic investment in listed companies in a move to encourage foreign investors to make long-term and value investment in the country.

    The revised rules, jointly released by six government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, allow foreign natural persons to make strategic investment in listed companies, a change from the old rules that only allowed foreign legal persons or organizations to make such investment.

    Capital requirement is also lowered under the new rules for foreign investors that do not become the controlling shareholders in listed firms. The latest capital requirement for them will be no less than 50 million U.S. dollars in total actual assets or no less than 300 million U.S. dollars in total managed actual assets.

    The new rules add tender offers as an extra option to make strategic investment. In the past, the only available options were private placements and share transfer agreements.

    For foreign investors intending to invest through the options of private placements or tender offers, they will be allowed to use shares of non-listed overseas companies as consideration shares for acquisition payment.

    The new rules also eased requirements on the shareholding ratio and the lock-up period. The shareholding ratio requirement is scrapped for foreign investors making investment through private placements, while the ratio requirements for the options of tender offers and share transfer agreements are lowered to 5 percent from the previous 10 percent.

    In order to encourage medium- and long-term investment, the requirement on lock-up period for acquired shares should be no shorter than a 12-month period under the new rules. This is reduced from no shorter than three years previously.

    A press briefing posted on the MOC’s website said that the revised measures seek to reduce the investment threshold for foreign investors, broaden the channels for foreign investment in the country’s securities market and encourage foreign investors to carry out long-term and value investment.

    It said that the scale of China’s securities market has further expanded in recent years with the sustained and healthy development of China’s economy and the nation’s deepened reform and opening up, adding that welcoming more high-quality foreign investment in listed companies will help promote China’s industrial upgrading as well as the healthy and stable development of China’s capital market.

    The revised rules are in line with the reform measures adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in July this year, which vowed to open China’s commodity, services, capital, and labor markets wider to the outside world in an orderly manner, and facilitate foreign equity investment and venture capital investment in China.

    China issued rules for foreign investors to make strategic investments in listed companies back in 2005. Since then, foreign investors have made strategic investments in more than 600 listed companies.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Call for Applications Digital Spark Challenge 2024

    Source: ASEAN

    Widely used social media platforms and rapidly evolving applications facilitate the fast and extensive dissemination of information. With social media and internet users spending a large amount of time online, young people can be vulnerable to fake news and become the targets and/or inadvertent disseminators of false information.
     
    Indonesia and Australia will co-host the Digital SPARK Challenge 2024 (hereinafter also referred to as the ‘Ideathon’) from 30 September to 3 October 2024 in Jakarta, Indonesia, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation and Love Frankie as the organising committee. The Ideathon will provide a platform for youth from ASEAN Member States (AMS), Timor-Leste and Australia to exchange views and pitch their ideas on innovative ways to address fake news and its impacts through social media campaigns.
     
    Through a 4-day immersive workshop, up to 24 teams of two (two teams from each participating country) will be invited as participants of the Ideathon to develop a deeper understanding on fake news identification and mitigation, as well as its impacts to society, and be equipped with communication and advocacy tools to address them. Participants will be guided through a collaborative and participatory learning process to develop ideas for powerful online campaigns to address this issue. Selected experts will serve as on-site mentors and judges. The winning team will be further supported to implement their campaign idea.
     
    Eligibility

    Below criteria and qualifications are applicable for every member of each team:
     
    Each team must consist of two (2) persons only.
    Must be between 18-25 years old at the time of application.
    Members of each team must be citizens of the same participating country (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, Timor-Leste, and Australia).
    Must not be government officials or affiliated with government.
    Must have the ability to travel (in-country and cross country) and own legitimate travel documents, such as a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the date of arrival in Indonesia.
    Must be available to fully attend a 4-day program in-person in Jakarta, Indonesia from 30 September to 3 October 2024 (plus travel days).
    Both members of the winning team must be committed to collaborate with the organising committee in developing the campaign idea for implementation.
    Must be able to work and communicate in English.
    Have basic knowledge and experience in using social media platforms for creating online contents for public communication and accessing digital public data.
    Possess the ability to access the Internet and have relevant computer proficiency.
    Be highly motivated to engage collaboratively with representatives from diverse communities in order to strengthen understanding and enhance personal growth in alignment with the program’s goal.
    Demonstrate leadership skills, motivation, time management, accountability, and strong commitment to promoting social impact.
    Themes

    The Digital SPARK Challenge 2024 will focus on two main themes:
     
    Fake news, such as misinformation, disinformation, malinformation.
    Content manipulation, such as AI-generated contents, deepfakes.
    Other important issues such as hate speech, online bullying, privacy violation and online scams can also be covered as they relate to the above themes.

    Award

    All participants will have the opportunity to engage and learn from relevant experts during the Ideathon and will receive certificates of completion.
    In addition, the first-place winner will be awarded:
     
    Grant funding and ongoing mentorship support for campaign implementation.
    Campaign amplification and integration through ASEAN official communication channels.
    Registration
     
    Teams of two (2) participants each are required to register together. To apply, please fill in the form by 8 September 2024. You will be asked to provide your general information as well as provide short responses detailing your initial campaign idea in accordance with your selected theme. Applications will be assessed based on your response to the selection questions. The selected teams will be contacted by the organising committee.
     
    Selected teams will be supported with travel to/from Jakarta and accommodation during the program.
     
    For any questions, please contact Pattamon Wattanawanitchakorn (tae@lovefrankie.co) and taf.thailand.meeting@asiafoundation.org.

    The post Call for Applications Digital Spark Challenge 2024 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Draft law revision aims to better protect personal privacy in anti-money laundering

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An undated file photo shows a worker counting renminbi banknotes at a bank in Linyi, East China’s Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China is considering stepping up the protection of personal privacy in anti-money laundering work, a spokesperson said Friday.

    A draft revision to the Anti-Money Laundering Law will be submitted for its third deliberation at a session of the country’s top legislature from next Monday to Friday, Huang Haihua, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, told a press conference.

    Huang said that the draft revision stipulates that institutions providing anti-money laundering services and their staff should properly handle the data and information obtained during their services in accordance with the law.

    The draft revision highlights that anti-money laundering work should ensure the smooth operation of regular financial services and capital flow, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of relevant institutions and individuals, according to Huang.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi, Slovak PM meet in Beijing, agreeing to elevate ties

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday.

    Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Slovakia, Xi said that after three-quarters of a century of development, the traditional friendship between the two countries is full of vitality, and the cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

    “We have decided to elevate China-Slovakia relations to a strategic partnership, which meets the future development needs of both countries and will inject new and powerful momentum into bilateral cooperation,” Xi said, adding that China is willing to work together with Slovakia to open a new chapter in bilateral relations and lift their ties to a higher level.

    Xi said the two countries need to deepen political mutual trust, calling on both sides to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, adhere to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and accommodate each other’s core interests and major concerns.

    In order to expand pragmatic cooperation, Xi said the two countries should make good use of the newly established inter-governmental cooperation committee to strengthen synergy in new energy, transportation and logistics, infrastructure construction and water resources management. China encourages its enterprises to invest in Slovakia and welcomes Slovak enterprises to explore the market in China, he said.

    Xi said the two countries should promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He called on both sides to carry out communication and dialogue among political parties, local governments, youth, think tanks, and the media, and make good use of platforms such as the Confucius Institutes to consolidate the foundation of public opinion for China-Slovakia friendship across generations.

    China has decided to grant 15-day visa-free entry to Slovak citizens, Xi added.

    Xi noted that the two countries need to strengthen international cooperation. In a complex and rapidly changing world, Xi said, both sides should uphold true multilateralism, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, embrace a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

    China attaches great importance to China-EU relations, Xi said, adding that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, and China-EU relations should demonstrate due maturity and stability.

    Xi expressed the hope that the new EU institutions will adhere to the orientation of the China-EU partnership, adopt a positive and pragmatic approach, properly manage differences, and refrain from politicizing economic and trade issues.

    Fico said Slovakia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and recognizes the government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate government representing all of China. Slovakia opposes any interference in other countries’ internal affairs and advocates for respecting each country’s choice of development path.

    Slovakia appreciates China’s decision to grant Slovak citizens the 15-day visa-free treatment, Fico said. Slovakia supports facilitating people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and strengthen cooperation in areas such as new energy and infrastructure, he added.

    Slovakia appreciates the three major global initiatives put forward by President Xi, and is willing to strengthen exchanges with China on state governance experience and actively promote the EU’s commitment to handling differences through dialogue and consultations, Fico said.

    The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis. Xi expounded on China’s consistent principle and position, commending Slovakia for adopting an objective, rational and impartial stance. He welcomed Slovakia, as well as more like-minded countries, to play a positive role in promoting peace talks.

    Fico stated that China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is fair, objective and constructive. Slovakia is willing to join the group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis and work with China to contribute to the political settlement of the crisis.

    Following the meeting, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spanish floods kill at least 205, PM pledges comprehensive support

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Spain remains deeply shaken by the deadly flash floods that have left 205 people confirmed dead and wrecked havoc across the regions of Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia in the east and southeast parts of the country. As of Friday, many more are still unaccounted for.

    With the ground too dry to absorb the intense rainfall, which exceeded 400 liters per square meter in many areas and reached up to 600 liters in some, the torrential overnight downpours on Tuesday led to devastating flash floods.

    Videos posted on social media have shown torrents up to three meters high sweeping cars down the streets to pile them up as if they were toys. Bridges were swept away, railway tunnels collapsed and fields were swamped as people climbed onto roofs of their homes and cars to seek refuge, but not all survived.

    The official death toll, initially 12 on Wednesday morning according to the Center for Coordinated and Integrated Operations, has now soared to 205, with 202 fatalities in the region of Valencia, two in Castilla-La Mancha and one in Andalusia.

    The Feria de Valencia exhibition center has had to be used as a temporary mortuary. With many people still missing, the number of fatalities is expected to climb further.

    The Spanish newspaper Eldiario.es reported on Friday that 1,900 people are still missing. Witnesses in the affected areas said many people had gone into underground garages to save their cars, only to be trapped by the extreme deluge. The media outlets are filled with heart wrenching stories, with loved ones making final calls from vehicles trapped in rising waters.

    Moreover, over 130,000 homes lost power during the floods, and by Friday, power company Iberdrola confirmed that 23,000 homes still remained without electricity.

    The floods left the Valencia region in eastern Spain almost isolated, with the high-speed rail link between the capital city of Madrid and Valencia closed for up to three weeks following the collapse of two tunnels.

    Around 80 km of local rail lines and 100 roads were damaged, prompting the government to allocate 25 million euros (27 million U.S. dollars) on Friday for emergency repairs.

    Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the affected areas on Thursday and pledged comprehensive aid for recovery efforts. The government declared three days of official mourning as sporting events in the Valencia region were all postponed.

    Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 military personnel, supported by 400 vehicles and 15 helicopters, have been deployed to assist in rescue and recovery operations. Hundreds of mud-caked Valencia volunteers were seen helping clear streets and homes with shovels and brooms.

    However, police also reported that approximately 60 people have been detained for looting in the wake of the floods.

    Relief support has poured in from across Spain, with funds being set up by the Red Cross and other agencies to aid rescue and recovery. Additionally, the international community, including the European Union, has offered assistance.

    Three days after the deadliest floods in decades, Valencia remains under alert for further downpours, with high warnings issued for Huelva, Castellon, Mallorca, and Catalonia. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Test-fire of latest ICBM ‘legitimate exercise of sovereign right to self-defence’: DPRK Foreign Ministry

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said the test-fire of the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was “a legitimate and just exercise of its sovereign right to self-defence” and part of the counteraction in response to the provocative moves by hostile forces, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday.

    In a statement issued on Friday, as reported by the KCNA, a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman accused the United States and its followers of intending to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council with an aim to “seriously encroach upon the DPRK’s right to self-defence,” in addition to staging joint air drills of aggressive nature on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity while viciously slandering the reasonable exercise of sovereignty by the DPRK.

    The Foreign Ministry expresses serious concern over the hostile forces’ confrontational behavior to create a critical situation against the DPRK security environment, and strongly denounces and rejects this act as “a wanton violation of the UN Charter and other recognized international laws” and “a grave challenge to international peace and security,” the statement said.

    “It is the steadfast strategic option and will of the DPRK to thoroughly deter the danger of outbreak of a nuclear war and powerfully control and manage the political and military situation in the region by countering the ever-dangerous military threat of the U.S. and its vassal forces with the overwhelmed and absolute power,” said the statement.

    The DPRK on Thursday conducted a “crucial” test of its latest ICBM Hwasongpho-19. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Legal Week 2024 to commence on Monday

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Hong Kong Legal Week 2024, an annual flagship event of the legal sector and the Department of Justice (DoJ), is one of the most anticipated legal and dispute resolution events in the region and beyond. Themed “Hong Kong Common Law System: World-Class Springboard to China and Beyond”, the five-day event will start Monday (November 4) and run until November 8. The Hong Kong Legal Week 2024 will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in a series of professional and insightful discussions and exchanges with prominent experts, practitioners, government officials and academics on a wide spectrum of topics from international law, developments in alternative dispute resolution, opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, to the rule of law in the region and beyond.

         Hong Kong Legal Week 2024 will open on Monday with the Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit, co-organised by the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law and the DoJ. The Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, one of the policy initiatives set out in the 2023 Policy Address, will also be officially launched on the last day of this year’s Hong Kong Legal Week.

         In addition to the insightful events, there will be an exhibition at the venue highlighting the achievements in the construction of the rule of law by the country in the modern era, and the role played by Hong Kong in contributing to the developments.

         A series of international and important events to be featured at the Hong Kong Legal Week 2024 are as below:

    November 4
    * Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit 2024

    November 5
    * The Second Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development

    November 6
    * Beyond Litigation: The Vibrant Landscape of Alternative Dispute Resolution of Hong Kong
    * 2024 Hong Kong Mediation Lecture

    November 7
    * Joint Contribution to the Construction of Rule of Law in the GBA

    November 8
    * Rule of Law: The Best Business Environment

         For more details on Hong Kong Legal Week 2024, please visit the dedicated website at www.legalweek.hk. Live broadcasts will be available on the dedicated website and at webcast.info.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  
    President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  
    2024-11-01

    On the afternoon of November 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia). In remarks, President Lai thanked Estonia for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s international participation and said that Taiwan has the responsibility, the ability, and the willingness to contribute even more to the international community in every domain. The president expressed his hope that we can work together to continue deepening the partnership between Taiwan and Estonia, and that by strengthening cooperation with European Union member states across many areas, we can jointly respond to the challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism, thereby safeguarding global peace, stability, and prosperity. 
    A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
    I extend a warm welcome to our good friends from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu. This is Chairman Marko Mihkelson’s second visit to Taiwan. He visited last August with a delegation of parliamentary foreign affairs committee chairs from the Baltic states. Members of the Riigikogu Ester Karuse and Luisa Rõivas are also visiting again, having been part of a delegation led by Estonia-Taiwan Support Group Chairman Kristo Enn Vaga in March.
    Your presence here demonstrates that Taiwan-Estonia relations are growing closer. I believe that with your support and assistance, our alliance, based on the shared values of freedom and democracy, and our economic and trade partnership are sure to grow even stronger. For this, I express my sincere gratitude.
    The international landscape and geopolitical environment are changing rapidly. Expanding authoritarianism is challenging the universal values of freedom and democracy as well as the rules-based international order. At this critical juncture, it is even more imperative that like-minded nations unite and work together to safeguard global peace, stability, and prosperity.
    In addition to strengthening cooperation with other nations to defend the values of freedom and democracy, Taiwan has actively sought inclusion in such international organizations and mechanisms as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. More than just a matter of the fundamental human rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan, it demonstrates that Taiwan has the responsibility, the ability, and the willingness to contribute even more to the international community in every domain.
    I want to take this opportunity to thank Estonia for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s international participation. In particular, Health Minister Riina Sikkut once again spoke out for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement at this year’s World Health Assembly. We sincerely appreciate Estonia for holding Taiwan in such high regard and for taking this stand. I would also like to congratulate former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on her appointment as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This attests to the crucial role that Estonia plays in uniting the strengths of the EU and like-minded nations around the world.
    Looking ahead, we hope that, with your assistance, we will continue to deepen the partnership between Taiwan and Estonia. And by strengthening cooperation with EU member states in such areas as the economy, trade, and security, we can jointly respond to the challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism. In closing, I wish you a smooth and productive visit.
    Chairman Mihkelson then delivered remarks, saying that he is honored to lead the first-ever delegation from the Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to Taiwan. Mentioning that yesterday they had witnessed Typhoon Kong-rey, he said that not even typhoons can break the very good relations between Estonia and Taiwan. 
    Chairman Mihkelson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with President Lai today and discuss very important topics, such as how to improve relations between our nations. Noting that we are living in a very turbulent world, he said that Taiwan and Estonia are like-minded nations whose relations have changed dramatically in a very positive direction from several years ago to today. The chairman observed that we have had numerous reciprocal visits and expressed his hope that one day we can mutually establish representative offices between Taiwan and Estonia.
    Chairman Mihkelson emphasized that Taiwan and Estonia are strong democracies, and that we see today both in East Asia and also in Europe that democracies are under attack. In Estonia and Europe, he said, they are worried about Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. He said that the aim of both Russia and its supporters is not only Ukraine, but also to change the world order. And the recent news that North Korean troops are to participate in the aggression against Ukraine, he added, makes this conflict global.
    Chairman Mihkelson stated that the reason they are here, besides strengthening our bilateral relations, is to find ways democracies can together support Ukraine, because the outcome of this war is similarly important for their own security as well as for Taiwan’s security. He said that Estonia lost its freedom for 50 years and that ever since it regained independence in 1991, there has been a very strong political consensus, but also support within society, that Estonia should never be alone again when it comes to its security and international relations. This is why, he explained, they are seeking very good partnerships with like-minded countries like Taiwan.  
    In closing, Chairman Mihkelson emphasized that we should do whatever it takes in our cooperation as democracies to never be challenged by autocracies. He then once again expressed his thanks for hosting them here today.
    The delegation also included Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Henn Põlluaas and Deputy Chair of the Anti-Corruption Select Committee Eerik-Niiles Kross.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Macao has full backing of central authorities: Spokesperson

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A file photo taken on July 1, 2021 shows the scene at the iconic Golden Lotus Square of Macao where a flag-raising ceremony is held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Sam Hou Fai, the incoming chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), fully demonstrates the central authorities’ wholehearted support for Macao’s development, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China’s State Council said on Friday.
    The Friday meeting also reflects the central authorities’ earnest expectation for Macao to continuously advance the successful practice of “one country, two systems,” said the spokesperson.
    The sound environment of Macao today is a vivid testament to the great vitality and strength of the “one country, two systems” principle, the spokesperson said.
    During the meeting, President Xi reiterated that the central authorities will stay committed to fully and faithfully implementing the “one country, two systems” principle under which the people of Macao administer Macao with a high degree of autonomy, noted the spokesperson, adding that this constitutes the greatest source of confidence for securing steady and continued success of “one country, two systems” in Macao.
    The spokesperson also expressed the belief that the new chief executive and government of the Macao SAR will unite all sectors of the Macao society and continuously break new ground in the practice of “one country, two systems” with Macao characteristics.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Housing market enjoys upswing

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An aerial photo taken on Feb. 17, 2020 shows buildings under construction in Nanguan District of Changchun city, northeast China’s Jilin province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In October, the total transaction volume of China’s new and secondhand homes experienced their first increase after an eight-month decline, said the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Friday.

    The nationwide sales volume of new homes rose 0.9% year-on-year in October, according to the ministry’s data.

    The increase marks the first positive growth in the new housing sector after 15 consecutive months of declines since June of last year.

    In addition, the transaction volume for second-hand homes grew by 8.9% year-on-year, extending its growth streak to seven months.

    Overall, the combined transaction volumes of new and secondhand homes increased by 3.9% year-on-year in October, marking a significant turnaround following eight months of consistent decreases since February, the ministry said.

    The real estate market in major cities may experience a “mild winter” this year and transaction volumes are expected to maintain a high momentum, with home prices holding steady under the influence of recent policy adjustments, said Zhang Dawei, chief analyst at Centaline Property, in an interview.

    Data from the ministry also showed that in October, the growth in housing sales has extended beyond first-tier cities, indicating a broader market recovery across regions nationwide.

    In first-tier cities, new home sales volumes rose by 14.1% year-on-year, while second-hand home transactions surged by 47.3% year-on-year in October.

    Cities including Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan in Guangdong province, Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Ningbo in Zhejiang province, and Dalian in Liaoning province have seen strong growth in new home sales, up over 30% year-on-year, while second-hand home transactions in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hangzhou increased by more than 50%.

    At the regional level, 11 provincial-level regions reported year-on-year growth in new home sales in October, an increase from five provinces in the previous month. Tianjin Municipality, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan and Jiangsu provinces led with growth rates of above 10%. Additionally, 20 provincial-level regions saw increases in second-hand housing sales, a rise of two in quantity from September.

    As the central government’s recent key policies have demonstrated a rather proactive and positive stance as well as a strong commitment to stabilizing the economy and halting the decline in the real estate sector, more local-level supportive policies are also expected to be implemented in the near future, said Guorong Securities’ research team.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: HKSAR gov’t welcomes first batch of brokers eligible for cross-boundary wealth management connect

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Photo taken on July 31, 2021 shows the statues on the square of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) in south China’s Hong Kong. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Friday welcomed the announcements of the first batch of brokers eligible to participate in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Pilot Scheme.

    Fourteen licensed corporations in Hong Kong are qualified to offer cross-boundary investment services for investors from the GBA, according to the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. They will work in partnership with brokers of the Chinese mainland confirmed by the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

    A spokesperson for the HKSAR government said that the Wealth Management Connect has been growing steadily since its launch in September 2021, and measures commencing on Feb. 26 this year to enhance the scheme have received enthusiastic market response.

    The first batch of brokers joining the scheme can help better satisfy GBA residents’ demand for asset allocation and create more development opportunities for the industry, the spokesperson said.

    This will strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international asset management center, the spokesperson added.

    MIL OSI China News –